Sebastian and Charles:
This is where I will post your assignments for the day throughout the unit. You will be reading James McBride's memoirs which deals with not only multi-cultural relationships, but also religious differences within families, growing up in Brooklyn in the 1950s, family sacrifices, and the consequences of decisions we make. This book will force you to take a look at the decisions you make and how they effect everyone in your family. You will be working on your own throughout the unit, working with each other for discussion of text and answering my questions for review as well. All assignments can be posed on this page. It might get a little confusing at different times because I'll be focusing most of my efforts on the class as they read Childhood's End, but I will try to work with you two as much as possible as well.
Day One:
1. Anticipation Guide: complete the following worksheet.
2. Researching the Author, his mother, and his siblings.
Put together a PowerPoint that shows some of the hardships his mother and family has faced as well as their triumphs. James' mother died earlier this year, so look find information about her life. Use this website as your starting point, but dig deeper. Look at what other people have said about McBride as an author. http://www.jamesmcbride.com/
Day Two: 1. Finalize your PowerPoint on his life. You should be able to have at least four slides to highlight him and his mother. When you're done, upload it to this page for me to grade it.
2. Start reading. Don't skip the XVII page at the beginning. For future reference, James' mom's name is Ruth (was Rachel, but she changed it).
As you read, answer these questions:
Chapter 1 - "Dead": List all of the ways that Ruth's family struggled to survive. What hardships did they endure? What changes did they make to their family to live the life they had. At the end of Ruth's opening paragraph, she said about her own mother that "She's one person in this world I didn't do right by...." Based on what we know, why do you think Ruth feels this way? (We will revisit this throughout the novel as more information is revealed.)
Chapter 2 - "The Bicycle": Why were James and his siblings embarrassed by their mother's bicycle? Why do you think she kept riding it? James says, "Matters involving race and identity she ignored." Why? How is this both a good and a bad thing? Why did he long to have the type of household like the TV show Father Knows Best? When James' mom says she will walk him to the bus stop on his first day of Kindergarten, he remarks that it is the first time he remembers ever being alone with his mother. What is your reaction to this? Describe what life was like for James in his house? When did James first realize his mother looked different? What did he do and say about it? What effect did his mother not being at the bus stop one day have on him?
Overall journal:Discuss Ruth McBride's refusal to reveal her past and how that influenced her children's sense of themselves and their place in the world. How has your knowledge—or lack thereof—about your family background shaped your own self-image?
The Color of Water by James McBride
Opening Journal for Color of Water
Sebastian and Charles:
This is where I will post your assignments for the day throughout the unit. You will be reading James McBride's memoirs which deals with not only multi-cultural relationships, but also religious differences within families, growing up in Brooklyn in the 1950s, family sacrifices, and the consequences of decisions we make. This book will force you to take a look at the decisions you make and how they effect everyone in your family. You will be working on your own throughout the unit, working with each other for discussion of text and answering my questions for review as well. All assignments can be posed on this page. It might get a little confusing at different times because I'll be focusing most of my efforts on the class as they read Childhood's End, but I will try to work with you two as much as possible as well.
Day One:
1. Anticipation Guide: complete the following worksheet.
2. Researching the Author, his mother, and his siblings.
Put together a PowerPoint that shows some of the hardships his mother and family has faced as well as their triumphs. James' mother died earlier this year, so look find information about her life. Use this website as your starting point, but dig deeper. Look at what other people have said about McBride as an author. http://www.jamesmcbride.com/
Day Two:
1. Finalize your PowerPoint on his life. You should be able to have at least four slides to highlight him and his mother. When you're done, upload it to this page for me to grade it.
2. Start reading. Don't skip the XVII page at the beginning. For future reference, James' mom's name is Ruth (was Rachel, but she changed it).
As you read, answer these questions:
Chapter 1 - "Dead": List all of the ways that Ruth's family struggled to survive. What hardships did they endure? What changes did they make to their family to live the life they had. At the end of Ruth's opening paragraph, she said about her own mother that "She's one person in this world I didn't do right by...." Based on what we know, why do you think Ruth feels this way? (We will revisit this throughout the novel as more information is revealed.)
Chapter 2 - "The Bicycle": Why were James and his siblings embarrassed by their mother's bicycle? Why do you think she kept riding it? James says, "Matters involving race and identity she ignored." Why? How is this both a good and a bad thing? Why did he long to have the type of household like the TV show Father Knows Best? When James' mom says she will walk him to the bus stop on his first day of Kindergarten, he remarks that it is the first time he remembers ever being alone with his mother. What is your reaction to this? Describe what life was like for James in his house? When did James first realize his mother looked different? What did he do and say about it? What effect did his mother not being at the bus stop one day have on him?
Overall journal: Discuss Ruth McBride's refusal to reveal her past and how that influenced her children's sense of themselves and their place in the world. How has your knowledge—or lack thereof—about your family background shaped your own self-image?
Day Three
Day Four
Work during PSSA Day - Thursday, April 8 Work
Monday, April 12
Wednesday, April 14
Thursday, April 15
Monday, April 19
Wednesday, April 21
Thursday, April 22
Friday, April 23
Monday, April 26